This invention relates to a device or apparatus for the lateral guidance of sets of wheels of rail vehicles.
The running gear or carriage unit of track-bound vehicles is required to provide a secure operating characteristic, a pleasant driving behavior, and a maximally low wear and tear on the wheels.
Mechanical running gears of rail vehicles are characterized by the fact that wheels are rolling along tracks. In conventional rail vehicles, the lateral guidance (rim guidance) is effected in most cases by means of a fixed set of wheels running on a track pair and having lateral flanges, or so-called rims. Upon the occurrence of lateral disturbing forces (track flaws, side wind, and similar effects), so-called sinusoidal running manifests itself, due to an alternating contact of the rims with the two running tracks. Depending on the speed, the oscillation of the wheel set (sinusoidal oscillation) takes place more or less undamped, which leads to an unquiet running behavior, as well as a strong wear of the wheel sets.
In order to minimize this problem, various solutions have been attempted in the railroad car construction field, which solutions were used either individually or in combination with one another. Thus, the running surfaces of the wheels were, for example, made of a slightly conical shape, and the track running surfaces where inclined inwardly by the corresponding angle, whereby, in case of a lateral movement of the wheel set, due to the sloping drift (directional deviation along the incline), a restoring force became effective on the wheel set, leading the same back into the track position. In this connection, various profiles were utilized on the wheel sets, and various conical angles were likewise employed.
Furthermore, pivot mountings for the wheel sets have been developed, which were supported at the car body, inpart, even in a rubber-elastic manner, whereby the lateral shocks caused by the contact of the rims against the tracks could be extensively prevented from affecting the car body. Also inclined wheels have been utilized to improve lateral guidance and thus reduce the sinusoidal movement.
All of the above-discussed mechanical steps, however, are extraordinarily expensive and are furthermore unsuitable for high-speed rail vehicles because of excessive wear and too unquiet an operating characteristic.
The present invention comtemplates providing apparatus for the lateral guidance of rail vehicles which is well suitable also for trackbound high-speed trains running between 120 and 240 m./h. (above 200 km./h. up to above 400 km./h.), which extensively excludes the undesired sinusoidal running characteristic, which is free of wear and tear and operates almost without inertia, and which is economical in price and also well suitable for subsequent incorporation into the wheel/rail system already existing in connection with present railroads.
More specifically, the present invention comtemplates apparatus which produces, by magnets attached to the wheel set, a magnetic field whereby, due to a force interaction between the magnetic poles, on the one hand, and one or more rails, on the other hand, the lateral guidance of the wheel set is accomplished without contact.
The solution provided by the present invention not only avoids the disadvantages occurring in heretofore known systems, but also proves to be particularly economical and eminently suitable for subsequent installation in all heretofore known wheel/rail systems (no high initial investment costs for new routes and/or rail systems). The apparatus of the present invention is extensively maintenance-free and permits a completely functionally safe and wear-free lateral guidance even at maximum speeds. Additionally, the apparatus of this invention is quite particularly suitable for favorably influencing the sinusoidal running phenomenon and thereby increases the operating quietness. Furthermore, an increased economy is obtained in connection with the conveying means due to a reduction in servicing time and expenses.
In an advantageous embodiment of this invention, electromagnets are attached to the wheel set, which electromagnets are laterally offset with their pole faces with respect to one rail or both rails. Upon a lateral deviation of the magnet unit pertaining to a wheel set, these electromagnets produce electromagnetic forces with respect to the rail or rails, enforcing a return of the wheel set into the zero (initial, neutral) operating position. This can be effected either by an attracting force effect or also by a repelling force effect of the magnet poles on the rail(s) according to preferred embodiments of the invention.
In a further embodiment of the invention, the electromagnets are attached to the wheel set in such a manner that their pole faces are laterally directly beside the rail or rails. In this connection, the air gap present between magnets and rail can be kept at a very small value (.gtoreq. 5 mm.), which results in particularly large guiding forces with an only relatively minor expenditure in electrical energy.
In a further embodiment of this invention, the electromagnets are attached to the wheel set so that these electromagnets are disposed in their entirety above the running surface of the rail. Thereby, it is ensured that the guiding system can pass over switches without any problems.
In a further embodiment of this invention, the magnets attached to the wheel set exert a force effect with their poles on one or several especially installed guide rails. Thereby, the lateral guidance can be accomplished independently of the operating support rails. This results in certain cases of application in a lowering of the costs and/or in simplifications in installation.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, several embodiments in accordance with the present invention.